An exploratory study, assessing the criteria of cause-related marketing building brand resonance with Generation Z, a qualitative analysis into understanding what benefits brands receive after resonating with the Gen Z target audience in South Africa.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to understand if cause-related marketing was an effective tactic that was able to resonate with Generation Z. In recent times, there had been a shift from traditional marketing efforts towards a more holistic approach that required brands to be unique, likeable and responsible. The everyday consumer was informed and was looking to buy into the ideals of a brand along with purchasing products/services. This notion occurred when consumers resonated with a brand. A popular criterion for building brand resonance was the We Brands Framework and the Three Pillars of Meaningful Brands. Throughout the qualitative research process, cause-related marketing was assessed in comparison to the above criteria to determine the effectiveness of cause related marketing resonating with Generation Z in Durban. The research aimed to uncover what guidelines cause-related marketing must follow to resonate with Generation Z and to explore what benefits a brand would receive if a consumer did indeed resonate with the brand. The Savlon brand was used as a case study during the data collection process in which the Savlon Healthy Hands campaign was viewed by the sample group and insightful feedback was recorded. The key discovery uncovered during the research process was that cause-related marketing was an effective tactic to resonate with Generation Z in South Africa, however, the sample group only resonated with the tactic because they cared about the social cause and there was a real change that was brought about through the cause-related marketing efforts. Another important discovery made was the We brands and Three Pillars of Meaningful Brands criteria being applicable in the execution of cause-related marketing as a tactic. Lastly, the benefits of consumers resonating with a brand are largely intangible mostly focusing on building strong relations with consumers (brand loyalty) and a positive brand image. The implications of this study show that cause-related marketing is not a profit-centred tactic and are therefore more suitable for mature brands that are established in the marketplace and are looking to strengthen their relationship with consumers and sincerely make a difference.